


Robo-Mecha-Love-Love Story

by Fan_by_Proxy



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Coma, M/M, No Sex, Technology, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-26
Updated: 2014-05-26
Packaged: 2018-01-26 16:39:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1695212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fan_by_Proxy/pseuds/Fan_by_Proxy





	1. [Data Session #587, Logon Timestamp 5:15:39]

The sun beat down, crisping the skin on their shoulders.  Cas’ cheeks were rosy and a fresh batch of freckles had cropped up across Dean’s chest.  Coconut and the smell of frying things filled the air, and the water was crystal clear.  Fish swam past their toes in great silvery schools, and they couldn’t stop laughing at everything.  It was a high unlike any other; it was the high of  _living_.

“I’m glad we did this.” Cas said, leaning down to try once more to wash the slick feeling of sunscreen off his fingers with the water.  “I hadn’t ever been to an island.”

“Really?  I love the island package; totally worth the price I paid.” Dean replied, hooking a finger in the waistband of Cas’ board shorts.  “These look good on you, but I’m pretty sure they’d look better floating off somewhere.” He grinned.

Cas rolled his eyes.  “Keep trying Romeo!” he straightened, feeling a quiver in his stomach as Dean’s finger trailed up the small of his back and then slid across his back until Dean’s whole arm was around him.  “Oh I wish…” he sighed, leaning into the embrace.

“Someday soon, right?”  Dean said.  “When the regs aren’t constantly hanging in the background, ready to bust up the fun.”

Nestled under Dean’s chin, he could only nod a little.  “Then watch out.” Cas sighed, watching the light play on the waves.  “You’ll  _really_  be stuck with me then.”

“Couldn’t think of a better place to be, if that’s the case.” He replied, swaying a little with the motion of the ocean. 

“Next time, let’s go to New England.  The beaches there are different from this, but I think you’d liked it.”

“Sure.  Pin it, we’ll do that next time.”  Dean looked down at him and smiled.

Cas rose up on tiptoe and planted a kiss on Dean’s chin.  He closed his eyes as a bell tone sounded in the distance.

“Oh damn, time already?” Dean sighed.  “Fine.  I leave you reluctantly.” He said, pressing a kiss to Cas’ forehead.

“And I wait for your return anxiously.” Cas said, closing his eyes.

**[Logoff Timestamp 8:34:32]**

 

Dean slid the VR equipment off, running a hand through his hair in a vain attempt to combat the inevitable helmet hair.  He checked the desktop to make sure the latest screen capture had taken; it had.  Now he could look at Cas, splashing around on the beach, for as long as he wanted.  The sight made him smile even as waves of nausea threatened him; jumping back into temporal time after spending some three hours dicking around in virtual time made him woozy every time.  But it was for Cas, and it was worth every questionable minute between ‘barf’ and ‘don’t barf’. 

The phone was ringing; Call ID said ‘Sam’, which was the only reason Dean picked it up.  “Hey loser.” He said.

“Are you drunk?”

“ _No_  ass-butt.  I just got offline.”

There was a long sigh.  “Dean…”

Dean pinched the bridge of his nose.  “ _Don’t_  start Sam.  Don’t.  You’ve already said it all, and it didn’t change my mind.  I’m doing this.”

“You know if it doesn’t work out that you’ve royally screwed yourself financially, right?”

“Yes Sammy, I managed to work that out for myself.  It’s the same risk as getting married and divorced; would you still be bitching me out like this if  _that_ were the case?” he demanded.

“If I hadn’t met the girl at least half a dozen times and you’d only talked to her online,  _yes_  jerk wad.  I’m your brother; I’m pretty much biologically-obligated to worry about you.”

Dean couldn’t help but smile at that.  “You’re such a turd.”

“And you’re a dipshit.  Anyway, I was calling to make sure the wire went through.”

“I’ll check right now.” Dean nestled the phone in the crook of his shoulder.  “How’re things besides your nagging?”

“Good, good.  You still want me to drive you to the hospital?”

“Yes please.” Dean clicked around.  “Yep, the wire went through.  Nu-Tech’ll start getting their payments and everything will be copasetic once I get that flash drive.”

“You’re crazy.”

“I know.”

Sam sighed.  “I hope he’s worth it Dean.  I really do.”

“He  _is_  Sam.  You’ll see.” Dean replied firmly.  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Right-right.  Good night Dean—actually get some friggin’  _sleep_ , will you?”

“I’ll try.  But I’m not making any promises.” Dean stuck his tongue out at the phone. 

There was a frustrated noise followed by a muttered ‘love you asshole’ and then dial tone.  Dean laid the phone aside and closed his eyes.  In less than a day, he’d have everything he’d ever wanted for his life.  In  _less_  than a day…

 

“Dean, if you don’t stop fidgeting I’m going to strap you to the roof of the car.” Sam snapped. 

“I’m sorry.  I’m just… _gah_!” Dean tried to make himself sit still, to stop shifting around and rattling the equipment box.  It was like being hopped up on caffeine and diet pills; he was quivering with anticipation.

Geeked-Out-Dean was something Sam had gotten used to a long time ago.  That didn’t mean he enjoyed it or tolerated it all that well, but he  _was_  used to it.  And it was nice to see his brother in that way about a relationship.  Sure it was a way-out-there-probably-going-to-fail-miserably relationship, but it was better than the lonely nothing Dean  _had_ been doing up until about a year and a half ago.  He didn’t get it, but being a good brother wasn’t about always  _getting_  what was going through Dean’s mind, it was about going along for the ride.  “I know but seriously.  You’re gonna fuck something up if you’re all hyper.  You want some Benadryl?”

“Hell no.  Take that before you log on and things get all trippy as balls.” Dean shook his head.  “ _Not_  how I want this to go.”

Sam raised an eyebrow.  “And this PSA is delivered to me…”

“Via shut-the-hell-up.” Dean quipped.  He leaned forward in the seat as the hospital came into view.  Like any hospital it was big and bland and sprawling; this one was so old it still had box hedges and rectilinear planning.  But it was beautiful just the same, because inside was the one thing he’d dreamed of since he was a little boy: love.

Sam rolled his eyes, finding a parking space near the entrance out of sheer luck.  “Alright.  We go in; you log on, say what you need to say, get the flash drive, we go home and hook it up.  Then dinner?”

Dean nodded.  “I really appreciate this Sam.”

“No Dean, you really  _owe_  me for this.” He teased.

“Don’t kill my buzz by reminding me I’m an adult.”

Sam grinned.  “Wouldn’t be me if I didn’t!” he opened his car door.  “Ready?”

“Past.” Dean replied, throwing his side open and climbing out in a spectacle of juggling electronic parts and his keys to the sound of Sam’s laughter.  That was the great thing about his brother; even when he didn’t really get the  _why_ , he was ride-or-die to the finish. 

 

The patient advocate was waiting for them when they walked in, and after signing another dozen release forms and getting the last lecture, the hospital staff  _finally_  let him into Cas’ room.  He was a little nervous; he already knew that the Cas that lived in cyberspace wouldn’t  _quite_  be the one lying in the hospital bed.  Cy-Cas was healthy and Live-Cas had been comatose for close to ten years.  He knew that academically, but it hadn’t prepared him for what he’d actually see.  Oh there were traces of his Cas in the face; the quirk at the corner of the mouth, the way the nostrils flared as air moved in and out.  But the rest was so gaunt, so bleached, so devoid of health that Dean was afraid he’d come too late; that Cas had somehow—despite holding on for all this time—slipped away before Dean had gotten there.

Dean sat in the chair beside the bed, at last putting aside the box of gear and reaching out slowly to take Cas’ hand.  It was like holding a feather; light and almost hollow-feeling.  He wondered if Cas could feel it even in his state.

“Ready to log on?” Sam asked softly.

Dean nodded, not taking his eyes from Cas’ face.  “Wish me luck Sammy.”

“Always.” Sam replied, bending down to pull the VR helmet out.  He was allowed to hook Dean up, since Dean was thoroughly occupied with holding Cas’ hand.  But it was the patient advocate alone who was permitted to direct-link Dean to Cas.

 

**[Data Session #588, Logon Timestamp 12:24:15]**

It wasn’t the beach in the Bahamas where he’d had to leave Cas last time, and it wasn’t some rocky little New England coast like Cas had wanted for the next time.  No, Cas’ mind space was a little hobbit hole, filled to the point of bursting with books.  Half a dozen cats milled around Dean’s feet.  He smiled a little and tried to pick his way along carefully, so as not to upset anything.

Cas was curled up in a nook in a sweater four sizes too big, book in one hand and a steaming mug in the other.  He was so engrossed in the reading that Dean was practically on top of him before he realized there was company.  Startled, tea sloshing out of the mug, book dropped to the floor, Cas could only sputter.  “What—you—here—how?  I don’t—I can’t—you’re not—”

“Hi.” Dean said, wringing his hands a little.  “Your mind-space is beautiful.”

Cas shook his head.  “You can’t be here, you  _can’t!_ What are you even doing here?!” he demanded, unfurling from his seat.  “I told you, I told you  _never_ , never-ever- _ever_  to come!”

“Cas, I came so I could take you home.” Dean ignored the urge to drop to his knees and beg.  He could get through this; he could have this conversation _without_  resorting to begging for pity or mercy.

This halted Cas in his frantic pacing, although it did not quite soothe him.  “You’re…really  _here_?” he shook his head, mouth working wordlessly. 

“I’m even holding your hand…can you feel it?” Dean asked timidly.  “I promised myself I’d hold it the whole time, no matter what happened.”

Cas ran his hands through his hair, sending it out in every direction, tousling it as only sex and confusion can tousle hair.  “How…how bad do I look?”

“Not bad.  Not like yourself, but not bad.” Dean replied diplomatically.  “I came to take you home.” He repeated.  “Everything’s ready.  Sam loaned me the money for your housing, and it’s all set up and just waiting for you to get into it.”

Tears welled in his eyes, spilling down his cheeks and onto the sweater in great fat drops.  Cas shook his head.  “Dean that’s crazy—that’s too much—we don’t even know each other…”

“We do so!” Dean protested, reaching out and grabbing Cas’ shoulders.  “We’ve been dating, real and earnestly dating, for a year!  We’ve been friends for longer than that.  I love you Cas, I’ve told you I know at least a hundred times…I’d do anything for you.”

He sniffled.  “I’m scared Dean.  No one’s ever hung around me as long as you, nobody’s ever told me they loved me and then done something this crazy for me.”

“Well nobody loves quite like I do.” Dean said with a shrug, drawing Cas closer.  It was a slow, reluctant move but at least he could wrap his arms around Cas and let the most wonderful man to ever exist in any reality try to nestle and calm down.  “Cas I promise, if it doesn’t work out…if you can’t live with me.  I won’t repo your housing.  It’s yours, whatever happens.  But I can’t lose you.  I can’t risk you not being here when the time is up…I know it’s selfish but…but I love you Cas and I don’t want to live without you anywhere anytime.”

Slowly, very slowly, Cas let go of his own arms to slide them around Dean’s waist.  He pressed his cheek to Dean’s chest and gave a shaky sigh.  “I’m scared…I don’t know what’ll happen when they pull the plug.”

“I’m here for you Cas.  I won’t let go until the absolute end.  Here, and out there.  I promise.” Dean murmured, kissing the top of his head.

“I wanna believe you.” Cas whispered.

“You know what my mom used to do for me when I was scared?” Dean started abruptly.

Cas looked up at him in wonder; Dean didn’t talk about his mother.  There had been an accident, a terrible, terrible, wholly preventable accident a long time ago.  It had taken a lot of willpower to not look it up, but for Dean, Cas would resist most every temptation.  Dean unfolded at his own pace, in his own way.  It was sometimes clumsy but always beautiful.  Cas sniffled again.  “No.  What’d she do?”

“Sing to me.  It always made everything better.” He said softly.

Cas closed his eyes.  “I’m scared Dean.” He repeated. 

Dean rubbed his back, and started to sing.  “Hey Jude, don’t make it bad…take a sad so*ng and make it be*tter.  Re*mem*ber to let*im into your heart, then you can start* to make it be*tter…” He closed his eyes.  “Hey Jude…don’t be afraid.  You were made to go*out and get*im.  The minute*you let*im under your skin, then you be*gin to make it be*tter…and any*time you feel the pain…Hey Jude, refrain…don’t ca*rry* the world*pon your shoulders, for well you know*that it’s a fool who plays it cool*by makin’ his world*a little colder…” Dean kept his eyes closed; focusing only on the world he had his arms wrapped around.  He couldn’t smell tea or hear cats anymore.  Even as he was singing, he was praying.  “Hey Jude…don’t let*me down…you have found*im, now go and get*im.  Re*mem*ber to let*im into your heart, and then you can start*to make it be*tter…”

**[Logoff Timestamp 12:40:02 TOD]**

**Goodbye world. <3**

 

Sam had to clamp both hands over his mouth to keep the sobs in.  Dean, sitting beside a hospital bed, holding the hand of a corpse, wearing a stupid VR helmet and singing ‘Hey Jude’.  It was too much; it was too hard.  He never should’ve agreed to this, he never should’ve loaned Dean the money.  The patient advocate tapped his shoulder.  “Here.  You can unhook him.” She said softly.  Slowly, reluctantly, Sam took the thumb drive from her.  He dropped it into his shirt pocket and did his best to yank Dean back to reality without physically yanking him around.

 

The car ride home was dead silent.  Dean stared out the window, holding the thumb drive against his lips.  His face was inscrutable; whatever was going on behind those eyes was so far behind them that it wasn’t happening anywhere in the reality of the car.  When they got back to Dean’s apartment, Sam had to walk him up the walkway and inside.  He was desperate to know what had happened, and even more desperate to find out how it would all end.  He picked up the manual for the new casing and read it again.  It shouldn’t be that easy, giving somebody a new life.  It shouldn’t be as simple as ‘put them on a thumb drive’, ‘jam it in the port’, ‘wait for the transfer to finish’. 

But for Dean’s sake, he hoped it was.

 

Dean watched the light at the end of the flash drive flicker with his hands folded in prayer tight against his lips.  It had to work, it just  _had_  to.  This wasn’t about bringing Cas home; this wasn’t about  _finally_  getting to do the physical stuff.  This was about  _love_.

The flash drive flickered faster, and then went dark.  He waited.  Nothing moved.   _Nothing.  Moved_.  


	2. Nu-Tech & You

_We still don’t know how comas work, even in the future.  All we know is that while the bodies are broken and still, the mind is still very much alive.  The advent of technology is such that a person in this halfway state can still live, at least digitally.  Any comatose person given to the State is allowed a period of **no more**  than ten (10) years in this digital status.  They are free to move about the digital space at will and interact with other patients as well as healthful (i.e. conscious) citizens. _

_If at some time a healthful citizen wishes to enter into a physical relationship with a patient, the healthful citizen **must**  provide housing for the patient.  This may be in any form, though it is recommended that the citizen purchase one of Nu-Tech’s bodily designs.  This will best facilitate both the transition of the patient to a waking state and allow the forming of a physical bond between a citizen and patient._

_These are not contracts to be entered into lightly.  Nu-Tech technology is prohibitively expensive, and the patient should note that the citizen pursuing this relationship maintains ownership of the housing for a period of no less than five (5) years.  The citizen may repossess the housing at any time in those five (5) years, and the patient must return to the digital space.  Return to the patient’s original body is impossible, as removal of patient results in physical death (barring of course medical intervention by way of life-prolonging machinery, which is only available through private care and is **not**  standard to State care)._

_In the unlikely event that a patient transfer is not successful, partial refund for housing expense may be granted provided the citizen provides evidence of unsuccessful transfer, receipt for purchase of approved housing, and proof of contract between patient and citizen.  Neither the hospital nor the State will be held liable for failure-to-transfer._

_After a period of no less than five (5) years, the patient is considered the legal owner of the housing and will be recognized by the State as a citizen once more, entitled to the same liberties and rights as citizens still residing in their original state (read: body)._

_The State reserves the right to deny a patient access to new housing depending on patient’s activity in the prior (living) state.  Housing may be recycled and/or sold/upgraded at citizen’s discretion.  Only one patient per housing unit, barring manufacturer’s specifications._

_Nu-Tech: Your Nu-Home._


	3. Hey Jude

Dean sat there for the longest time, still praying.  He’d screwed his eyes shut and started calling on people he hadn’t thought of since childhood.  Even some that weren’t quite welcome in the State.  If it meant having his Cas, he’d make every dirty, rotten, stupid deal a man could.  Hell, he was halfway there just getting the Nu-Tech custom housing.  The thumb drive had stopped flashing and in that dead little stick was the last shred of hope he ever had.  And it wasn’t  _moving_. 

Sam sat in the living room, flipping through the channels as fast as his thumb could go.  Every time a Nu-Tech ad came up, he changed the channel.  Fuck them.  Fuck them, the State, this whole stupid idea that you could just download somebody and stick them in a robo-body and have it all be alright.  Fuck  _all_  of that noise!

It was officially hopeless.  Dean opened his eyes and got up slowly, feeling a thousand years’ sorrow deep in his bones.  He pulled the flash drive free and closed the port.  “I’m  _so_  sorry Cas…” he whispered, touching the face.  This model, this square-jawed, squint-eyed model with custom-made eye lenses and dark hair, was going to stay in the apartment.  He would sit with this empty reminder of his failure and hope that when the time came and he did finally die, that whatever was waiting  _after_ the coma and the dying and the Nu-Tech was a place where he could find Cas again.  “ _I’m…so…sorry…”_  Dean whispered, collapsing at last.  He pressed his temple to the housing—to Cas’ chest—and started to sob.  There was a feather-light touch to his cheek.  Obviously grief was not only going to make him cry and want to be dead, it was going to make him hallucinate too.   _Joy_.

There it was again, that light, light touch.  Dean flinched, hand flailing to put off the delusion.  Instead he smacked it hard against something that felt like Nu-skin.  Breath catching in his throat, he dared to open his eyes.

“Hey Jude.”

**The End**


End file.
